1 ¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 I know it is so of a truth, but how shall a man be justified with God?

3 I f he desires to contend with him, he will not be able to answer him one thing of a thousand.

4 H e is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has hardened himself against him and remained in peace?

5 W ho uproots the mountains in his anger, and they know not who overturned them.

6 W ho removes the earth out of her place and causes her pillars to tremble.

7 W ho commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.

8 H e alone extends the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea.

9 H e who made Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the secret places of the south.

10 H e who does great things past finding out, and wonders without number.

11 B ehold, he shall pass before me, and I shall not see him; and he shall pass on, and I shall not understand him.

12 B ehold, he shall take away, who can cause him to restore? Who shall say unto him, What doest thou?

13 G od will not withdraw his anger, and under him those who help, unto pride are bent over.

14 ¶ How much less shall I answer him and choose out my words to reason with him?

15 W ho even though I am righteous, yet I would not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16 W ho if I were to invoke him, and he answered me; yet I would not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17 F or he has broken me with a tempest and has multiplied my wounds without cause.

18 H e will not suffer me to take my breath but has filled me with bitterness.

19 I f we were to speak of his strength, he is certainly strong; and if of his judgment, who shall cause us to meet?

20 I f I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, he shall prove me perverse.

21 I f I say I am imperfect, I know not my soul; I would condemn my life.

22 ¶ One thing remains, that I say, He consumes the perfect and the wicked.

23 I f it is the scourge, it slays suddenly, and it does not laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24 T he earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges; if it is not he who does this then, who is it and where is he?

25 ¶ Now my days are swifter than a post; they fled away, they never saw good.

26 T hey are passed away as the ships of Ebeh as the eagle that throws himself on the prey.

27 I f I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness and comfort myself;

28 I am afraid of all my troubles; I know that thou wilt not hold me guiltless.

29 I f I am wicked, why then shall I toil in vain?

30 I f I wash myself with snow water and make my hands never so clean;

31 y et thou shalt plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes shall abhor me.

32 F or he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together unto judgment.

33 N either is there any arbiter between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34 L et him take his tormentor away from me, and his terror will not perturb me.

35 T hen I would speak and not fear him, because in this state I am not myself.